Editing Point Pelee National Park (section)

==History==

Aboriginal people lived on Point Pelee for many years before European colonization, dating back to at least 6,000 years.<ref name = PC2010 /> The largest archaeological site found at Point Pelee is thought to have been occupied between AD 700 and 900.<ref>{{citation |year=1978 |title=Man's Impact on Point Pelee National Park |location=Ottawa |publisher=National Provincial Parks Association |pages=44, 53}}</ref>

The name was given to the area by Fathers [[François Dollier de Casson|Dollier]] and [[René de Bréhant de Galinée|Galinée]] when they passed through the area in 1670.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The National Parks of Canada|last1=McNamee|first1=Kevin|last2=Suzuki|first2=David|last3=Kraulis|first3=J. A. |name-list-style=amp|year=2004|isbn=1-55263-569-4|pages=177–179|publisher=Key Porter Books }}</ref>

In the late 1700s, British naval reserves logged the area's white pine for shipbuilding.<ref name="z" /> In 1790, Deputy Indian Agent Alexander McKee negotiated a treaty with Aboriginal communities that ceded a large tract of land, which included Point Pelee, to the Crown.<ref>"Treaty No. 2." (1992). Indian Treaties and Surrenders. Saskatoon: Fifth House Publishers.</ref> The [[Caldwell First Nation]] Chippewa people, who inhabited Point Pelee, were not signatories of that treaty. However, the Crown did not realize this, and their land was ceded nonetheless. Subsequently, they were forced off their land, and Point Pelee remains unceded Aboriginal land. This has been publicly acknowledged by the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.<ref>{{citation |last=Leclair |first=Laurie |title=The Caldwell People of Point Pelee and Pelee Island: A Brief History and Survey of Documents |publisher=Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development |year=1988}}</ref>

Prior to the creation of the park, the Great Lakes Ornithological Club was established to study bird migration. One of the members, [[Percy A. Taverner]], and Canada's first Dominion Ornithologist, recommended Point Pelee be made a [[National parks of Canada|national park]] in 1915. [[Jack Miner]] had also pushed for the creation of the park by that time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/playground-or-protection-100-year-old-point-pelee-national-park-finds-a-balance|title=Playground or protection? 100-year-old Point Pelee National Park finds a balance|date=29 May 2018|last=Hill|first=Sharon|work=Windsor Star|access-date=31 December 2018}}</ref> Point Pelee was made a national park in 1918 at the urging of [[birdwatching|birdwatchers]] and hunters. Commercial fishing continued in the park until 1969. Point Pelee was the only Canadian national park to allow hunting until duck hunting was ended in 1989. This site was named "Pointe-Pelée" (meaning "bald point") by [[France|French]] explorers because the eastern side was rocky and had no trees.<ref name = TCE>{{cite encyclopedia | url = http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/point-pelee-national-park | title = Point Pelee National Park | encyclopedia = [[The Canadian Encyclopedia]] | access-date = 12 April 2013 | archive-date = 17 November 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131117144952/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/point-pelee-national-park | url-status = dead }}</ref>

Point Pelee was designated a [[dark-sky preserve]] in 2006, the first Canadian national park to be designated as such.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/dark-park-point-pelees-dark-sky-preserve-wows-stargazers|title=Dark park: Point Pelee's dark sky preserve wows stargazers|date=23 March 2018|last=Hill|first=Sharon|work=Windsor Star|access-date=28 January 2019}}</ref> In March 2006, high winds caused waves that washed away the sand point and all that remained was a platform.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/high-winds-leave-point-pelee-pointless-1.586542|title=High winds leave Point Pelee pointless |date=16 March 2006| access-date= 31 March 2007 | work=CBC News}}</ref> In October 2007 the level of Lake Erie dropped enough to reveal the point again extending at least a kilometre out into the water and at least {{convert|7|m|ft}} wide with a winding curve shape to it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=cb85d926-bbb9-48c5-b0c1-007f8292e136&k=49103|title=Point Returns |last=Schmidt |first=Doug |work=Windsor Star |via=[[Canada.com]]|date=8 October 2007|access-date=15 October 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223145258/http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=cb85d926-bbb9-48c5-b0c1-007f8292e136&k=49103|archive-date=23 December 2007}}</ref> Since that time the sandy tip continues to shift, grow longer or shorter, or even detach temporarily, from year to year.